Ilene Lori Cohen

October 10, 1958 - March 18, 2022

Obituary For Ilene Lori Cohen

Ms. Ilene Cohen, 63, of Raleigh, NC, passed away on March 18, 2022. She was the daughter of the late Alexander and Martha Cohen. Ilene was born October 10, 1958, in Philadelphia, PA. She attended college at UC-Davis and UC-San Diego, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Over the course of her career, Ilene, worked for Wachovia Bank, World Bank, Wells Fargo, Coca-Cola, Banco Santander, Citibank, Edward Jones, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and lastly at Fidelity Investments.

She was a Boston Red Sox, Roger Federer, and because of her husband, Steve, a closet Green Bay Packers fan.

Ilene and Steven Thuerwachter were married in Charlotte, NC, on December 29, 2010. They met on match.com after Ilene *winked* at Steve, and their first date was at a NASCAR race (Ilene was NOT a fan). Steve will tell you he doesn't remember who won the race after two days of rain delays and rescheduling, but he knows he was the BIG winner that weekend when Ilene came into this life.

Ilene was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Steve; sister, Lois (Stan) Wachtel; nephew, Adam Wachtel; step-children, Elizabeth Thuerwachter (Katie McLeod) and Nathan (Katie) Thuerwachter; sisters-in-law, Barb (Brian) Bernetzke and Julie Maloney; brothers-in-law, Kelly (Michelle) Thuerwachter and Mike Thuerwachter.

She left behind her K9 loves: Molly, Kayla, and Astro-her four-legged children.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers or cards, please make a donation to The Hospice by the Sea, Boca Raton, FL (who cared for Ilene's mother) or to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary of Utah.

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Condolences

April 24, 2022

Carol Ann Brantley
April 24, 2022

Carol Ann Brantley

Jerry and I are so overwhelmingly shocked and saddened with the loss of precious Ilene. She, Steve and her darling fur babies became our good friends at Aventura condos in Addison, Tx., and remained in great contact after their move to North Carolina. Ilene was one smart lady with such great charm and love and one amazing doggy mama. We were so grateful to have her as our friend and she is so very missed. Carol Ann Brantley
April 08, 2022

Wendy B

My thoughts and prayers are you and your family. I will miss Ilene's upbeat personality. My favorite memory is when she would bring her fur babies to the office so that we all could visit and of course laugh and smile!
April 08, 2022

Carla Clark Liberatore

Although I knew Ilene for a brief time when she worked at Merrill Lynch, she was a bright presence who took the time to get to know her colleagues. When we returned to the Raleigh office, Ilene invited her Merrill Lynch colleagues on the 17th floor for a meet and greet lunch so we could "get to know each other". Ilene did this on her own, and I was touched by her desire to connect us all. In a world of increasing human division, Ilene knew that British novelist E.M Forster's admonition to "Only Connect" was the only path that make us whole again. It saddens me to know Ilene has left us to mend together without her as a catalyst, but her spirit of connection will live with me for years to come and surely with the many others who knew, worked with, and loved her.
March 31, 2022

Mary Carpenter

Steve, I know you are bereft, as are her family and many friends. I am so grateful we knew Ilene and got our precious pups from her friend Lyn, 7 yrs. ago. And you took us to San Antonio and back in one day to pick them up! Ilene was so much fun and we have missed her since the move to NC. Take heart in your memories and her beloved dogs. Prayers and best wishes for you. Mary Carpenter
March 28, 2022

Tim Dalton

Steve and Family, I am so saddened by the news of Ilene's untimely passing. We were colleagues at Edward Jones, where upon my arrival to the department she was the first to make me feel welcome. Her humor and insight always made our department meetings and conference calls lighter, and her skillful candor made them worthwhile. She was a leader among us trainers. She became a dear friend to me, helping me through a tough patch in my life and reminding me that all things, good and bad, happen for a reason, and that accepting this great truth and moving on, as tough as it may be, was the only solution. I can barely imagine your grief, and wish you a peaceful heart as you find comfort in your canine friends, and in the memories that you and Ilene created. Tim Dalton